Code-division multiple access (CDMA) is a type of spread spectrum communication system wherein each subscriber unit is distinguished from all other subscriber units by the possession of a unique code. In order to communicate with a particular subscriber unit, a transmitting unit imprints the unique code upon a transmission and the receiving unit uses the code to decode the transmission. CDMA communication systems transmit voice and data information using signals that appear noiselike and random. Since the random sequences are generated by standard deterministic logic elements, the generation of the bit sequences are predictable and repeatable. It is the use of these repeatable binary random sequences that permits easy modulation of any information-bearing digital signal for data communications. These predictable random sequences are called pseudo-random sequences.
Each subscriber unit in a CDMA communication system receives a plurality of pseudo-random sequences from base stations which are within the communicating range of the subscriber unit. As indicated above, the receiving unit uses a particular pseudo-random code to attempt to decode one of the received pseudo-random sequences. The particular code can only be used to decode one pseudo-random sequence, the other received pseudo-random sequences contribute to noise.
As the correlation between the pseudo-random sequences used by the CDMA communication system decreases, the amount of noise output by the receiving unit also decreases. This decrease can be explained as follows: There is a high correlation between the one pseudo-random sequence including the data to be transmitted to the subscriber unit and the pseudo-random sequence generated by the receiver. As the correlation between the one pseudo-random sequence and the other pseudo-random sequences decreases (i.e. cross correlation), it becomes easier for the subscriber unit to recognize its particular pseudo-random sequence and filter out all of the other pseudo-random sequences. Thus, noise is reduced and signal clarity enhanced.
There is a need for an improved pseudo-random sequence generator which generates sequences having improved cross correlation properties to reduce the noise experienced by the receiver. There is also a need for a pseudo-random code generator that is easy to implement.